Gethin looks set to miss 6 nations. Real shame I had a dream about him making a 4th lions tour

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38265487

So who do we think will get the longest ban. Hartley for the swinging arm to the head or Jiffy Juniors Little Bro for doing the **** sign hand signal?

Anyone see Beale’s yellow card for Wasps?
The most innocuous “high tackle” on a player bending down low as he goes for the tackle. If that’s the new law, I’ll be yellow carding kids left right and centre. Bloody stupid.

The softest red has to be Phil Burleigh for Edinburgh Gave pape a little slap on the cheek Open hand but still a red card ( rightly by the laws) Mind you we did have a sniper in the stands as well

https://twitter.com/GLove39/status/807739723951308801

Wow. That was some terrible overreacting. Has he been cited for that? It was a crack down initiative last year.

Beale’s card was a bit soft. Dai Young isn’t impressed either.

Pape has not been cited. Its only a penalty / yellow card offence so no point. the ref should have reversed the penalty. Initial offence the slap – pen and red card. simulation – reverse the penalty

I think all simulation both soccer and rugby should see the player treated for the injury, if pape’s slap was that hard then he definitely needs a hia.

I think the best way to deal with simulation is mockery. As well as man of the match have “dive of the match” Highlight it as much as possible. Ask him about it in post match interviews

Pape has form, did the same in Word Cup when SOB gave him a tap after been held in a ruck.
Now if we were picking players attempting to seriously injure an opponent Pape’s fracturing of 3 of Heaslip’s vertebrae must be up there.

^^
Exactly

Now I’m not saying that heaslips injury wasn’t serious. But was he really only out for 4 weeks…………with fractured vertebrae?

Pape got a citing commissioners warning ie a yellow for his dive. Burleigh a one week ban.

3 weeks for James Davies

new diver’s charter been drawn up 🙂

From next year, we'll see a tough new sanctions on contact with the head. Click here for more information: https://t.co/Zpdw3Wm1Z6 pic.twitter.com/QP5gjdzeM3

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) December 14, 2016

Six week ban for Hartley. Seems fair enough.

He’ll be available for the 6N opener against France, if a little rusty.

Now can we get back to talking about rugby?

Yes, but its an outrage that we won’t be able to start with our #1 hooker 😉

Yes, but its an outrage that we won’t be able to start with our #1 hooker

😆

6 wks for Hartley is about right IMO – inline with the laws and guidance.

2 weeks added for his previous and then 1 removed for good biscuits.

Neil Francis won’t be too happy…….

O’Halloran joins Jones, Schmidt and Townsend in turning down the Lions. Something is going seriously wrong here.

Yeah. They don’t want to work with cementhead, that’s what!

No point in any of the scots coaches going. the style Glasgow and Scotland ( and to some extent Edinburgh) play in is nothing like Gatlands style so whats the point? Townsend sends his players out with a attack from anywhere anytime and take risks approach.

They don’t want to work with cementhead, that’s what!

I think it may be more that they have contracts, but does that not fit your narrative?

What narrative? I wouldn’t want to work for the bloke. Why so personal? you know he’s a kiwi right?

I dont take it personally. Dont really like Gatland but I dont like people making stuff up. Gatland was the only choice for the Lions as he was the only person available other unions rightly dont want to release their coaches.

I don’t disagree, but the fact that coaches are turning their noses up at what was considered one of the greatest honours in rugby is iffy at least. Farrell wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice. Wozza won’t care, he’ll just get on with it, the real bad news here is for the Lions, and not just this squad either.
Contracts have been around for a long time. Gatland is under contract as are the rest of the management team. Nothing has changed there.

If Townsend had been offered the head coach role I bet he would have taken it and simply kept Cotter on for another year for Scotand

Gatland negeotiated a break clause. I dont think any of the other unions are stupid enough to let their coaches off. Would a top aviva coach risk his future to do it?

If Farrell has, one would expect Ireland wouldn’t have different rules for others? Good PR too. I can understand new scots coaches not wanting to piss off as soon as they arrive to be fair.

At at tangent, I wish we could go back to the original kit (on the left);

If Farrell has, one would expect Ireland wouldn’t have different rules for others?

He is an assistant coach/adviser at Munster. Doesnt coach ireland does he? I expect he took the gig with the Lions in mind and so had a clause or he isnt that botered about his Munster job.

Farrell is Ireland defence coach, nothing to do with Munster this season.

He is an assistant coach/adviser at Munster. Doesnt coach ireland does he? I expect he took the gig with the Lions in mind and so had a clause or he isnt that botered about his Munster job.

Farrell is defence coach for Ireland and a consultant coach at Munster.

It would have been good to have had some Scottish coaching input in the sense that the Lions need to draw from all four home unions.

We need all the home unions to have a decent 6N and then competition for places will be stronger.

I think there’s also and argument that if there’s a toss up between two players for one position then you might favour, for example, a Scottish player over an English one in order to get a better balance for the tour party. I’m not saying don’t pick the best players but if there’s nothing in it then players from the unions with a likely lesser representation should get the nod.

When did Farrel take the Ireland job?
The fact that so many people have turned down the Lions jobs is very sad for the game imo but I dont think its because Gatland us in charge. Although the fact that he was the only real candidate is also very sad.

Sobering stuff for George North:

George North must consider retiring rather than run further risk of brain damage, according to an expert on concussion.

“George does have to make that decision,’’ Dr Barry O’Driscoll, a member of World Rugby’s medical committee for 15 years, told The Rugby Paper yesterday.

“If he was playing the sport just for fun, that would be it.”

The Welsh Lion has been knocked out five times in less than two seasons. On two occasions, for Wales against England, and again for Northampton eight days ago, North has been allowed to carry on playing.

Dr O’Driscoll asks: “Is George getting concussed more easily now? He seemed to lose consciousness remarkably quickly this last time.

“Anyone who has had three concussions should consider retiring. George is a great, great talent but he has to face the facts. The pressures on the lad are huge because this is his career.

“All I can say to him is: ‘Take an appreciable break from the game. Listen to the experts. Consider the medium and long-term consequences.’

“You have to respect that it’s his decision, his life. What has happened to George and the way rugby has responded has annoyed me.This is the second time in his case where the game has got it all wrong.’’

World Rugby intervened on the first to demand an explanation from Wales as to why their medics cleared North to continue after his second knock-out of the match.

An official investigation into why North was cleared to continue at Welford Road is due to announce its findings this week. Dr O’Driscoll, a fearless critic of World Rugby’s policy on concussion since resigning in protest three years ago, is in no doubt that the game has failed North on each occasion.

A former Ireland full-back whose nephew, Brian, took more than his share of head blows, Dr O’Driscoll has repeatedly called for the scrapping of the HIA, head injury assessment. The procedure allowed North to resume a mere eight minutes after leaving the field.

“George passed a test which is meaningless,’’ he said. “It means brain-damaged players are put back on the field time after time. If you suspect a player of being concussed, you should not have to bother with this test.

“I resigned over this issue and nothing has happened since to make me change my mind. You can see the damage this so-called assessment off the field is causing. If you need that assessment, you need to stay off.

“They keep changing the ground rules but there is no test for concussion that can rule it out in ten minutes or 13 minutes as it is now. It’s Mickey Mouse stuff – so hit-and-miss, so unscientific. I feel sorry for the team doctors because they are under huge pressure.’’

When did Farrel take the Ireland job?

IIRC he was offered it soon after he left/got sacked from the England job but wasn’t able to take it up until after the 6N for contractual reasons.

To me it appears some teams are better than others at looking after their players. For some its if concussion is not proven put them back on the pitch. for others its if there is any doubt then they don’t play on

Scumhampton saying the specialist has said he is symptom free?????

Doesn’t matter. The more and more frequent the concussions are the more likely it is to have another and the more damage each one does.

He needs a year out IMO and possibly retire right now.

He needs a year out IMO and possibly retire right now.

And yet the experts assesing him dont agree. Whole thing is ****.